Services

More foster families needed in North-East and Yorkshire

OVER 1,000 new foster families are needed in the North East and Yorkshire to cope with increasing numbers of children in care.

Figures released today (Thursday, February 14) by the Fostering Network reveal that the North East needs 450 new foster families to sign up in 2013, while 800 more are needed across Yorkshire and Humberside.

The figures also reveal there is now a record 4,100 children living with foster families in the North East, and and 7,500 in Yorkshire and Humberside.

Robert Tapsfield, chief executive of the Fostering Network, said: “Despite fostering services attracting more people to become foster carers, the continuing rise of children coming into care means hundreds more are still needed in North East England this year alone.

“These children need a stable family life to help them grow and achieve their potential.

“By becoming a foster carer people can help them have the best possible opportunity for a positive future, to do well at school and be successful in later life.”

Nationally, there is a shortfall of 7,350 foster families, and each year 13 per cent of the existing fostering workforce retires or leaves.

The Fostering Network is warning that without new families, hundreds of youngsters in the region will live in children’s homes when a foster family would be the best option for them, while others will end up living with a carer a long way from their home, school and family.

Comments

You need to jump through way too many hoops to become a foster carer. Sadly being loving and caring isnt enough.

You need to jump through way too many hoops to become a foster carer. Sadly being loving and caring isnt enough.Davy Crocket

You need to jump through way too many hoops to become a foster carer. Sadly being loving and caring isnt enough.

Score: 1

Fosteringmanager
1:02pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Dear Davy - even a pregnancy takes 9 months doesn't it? Nobody has the "right" to have children and , no, being loving and caring isn't enough. Kids in care need people who can understand them, who can set boundaries, who can be consistent, who will stick up for them and who can work with teachers, doctors, therapists and a whole load of other professionals. Fostering is not easy - that's why it takes time to make sure the right people do it. And what makes them the right ones? Resiliance - in other words being able to wait!

Dear Davy - even a pregnancy takes 9 months doesn't it? Nobody has the "right" to have children and , no, being loving and caring isn't enough. Kids in care need people who can understand them, who can set boundaries, who can be consistent, who will stick up for them and who can work with teachers, doctors, therapists and a whole load of other professionals. Fostering is not easy - that's why it takes time to make sure the right people do it. And what makes them the right ones? Resiliance - in other words being able to wait!Fosteringmanager

Dear Davy - even a pregnancy takes 9 months doesn't it? Nobody has the "right" to have children and , no, being loving and caring isn't enough. Kids in care need people who can understand them, who can set boundaries, who can be consistent, who will stick up for them and who can work with teachers, doctors, therapists and a whole load of other professionals. Fostering is not easy - that's why it takes time to make sure the right people do it. And what makes them the right ones? Resiliance - in other words being able to wait!

Score: 0

jen.smith
1:43pm Thu 14 Feb 13

I spent my whole life in care from being a baby till I was 18... social services let alone the carers didnt give what you said there "fostering manager"... report abuse and you werent believed... always foster carers and S.workers versus the kids... I didnt know 1 kid who was happy in care....and yet the carers were vetted and seen acceptable.. Ha, yep, right!! If people would stop having kids for the hell of it with no money, no home, no job and no commitment... you wouldnt have the problems you have now... but since its happening unfortunately.. sometimes you just need to stop judging "good loving people" and think of the kids.

I spent my whole life in care from being a baby till I was 18... social services let alone the carers didnt give what you said there "fostering manager"... report abuse and you werent believed... always foster carers and S.workers versus the kids... I didnt know 1 kid who was happy in care....and yet the carers were vetted and seen acceptable.. Ha, yep, right!! If people would stop having kids for the hell of it with no money, no home, no job and no commitment... you wouldnt have the problems you have now... but since its happening unfortunately.. sometimes you just need to stop judging "good loving people" and think of the kids.jen.smith

I spent my whole life in care from being a baby till I was 18... social services let alone the carers didnt give what you said there "fostering manager"... report abuse and you werent believed... always foster carers and S.workers versus the kids... I didnt know 1 kid who was happy in care....and yet the carers were vetted and seen acceptable.. Ha, yep, right!! If people would stop having kids for the hell of it with no money, no home, no job and no commitment... you wouldnt have the problems you have now... but since its happening unfortunately.. sometimes you just need to stop judging "good loving people" and think of the kids.

Score: 1

maclaren
7:39pm Thu 14 Feb 13

Why don't they start paying foster carers a decent wage for a start instead of the pittance they receive for the unbelivebly difficult job they do. That may sound harsh but at the end of the day that what's fostering is a job. I wonder how many of the professionals that carers work alongside would foster children for the pittance that carers get, not many

Why don't they start paying foster carers a decent wage for a start instead of the pittance they receive for the unbelivebly difficult job they do. That may sound harsh but at the end of the day that what's fostering is a job. I wonder how many of the professionals that carers work alongside would foster children for the pittance that carers get, not manymaclaren

Why don't they start paying foster carers a decent wage for a start instead of the pittance they receive for the unbelivebly difficult job they do. That may sound harsh but at the end of the day that what's fostering is a job. I wonder how many of the professionals that carers work alongside would foster children for the pittance that carers get, not many

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